Rumeen Farhana calls her expulsion on the day of Khaleda Zia’s death ‘significant’
Rumeen Farhana, who was expelled as assistant international affairs of the BNP, has described the coincidence of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s death and her own expulsion on the same day as “significant”.
Despite her expulsion, she has expressed her determination to contest the 13th National Parliamentary Election.
She shared these remarks with Prothom Alo over the telephone on Tuesday night.
The BNP on Tuesday expelled Rumeen Farhana along with eight others for conducting organisational activities in defiance of party decisions.
This information was disclosed in a press release signed by the BNP’s senior joint secretary general, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
The statement said that these leaders had been expelled from the party’s primary membership as well as from all positions at every level.
Reacting to her expulsion, Rumeen Farhana said that receiving the expulsion order on the very day of the death of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia marked a strange and painful chapter in her political life.
She said that being expelled on the day of the passing of the leader whose ideals she had followed and under whose guidance and affection she had advanced so far, could not be regarded as a mere coincidence.
She added that she had learned from Khaleda Zia herself the lesson of standing alone without compromise in politics.
Describing Khaleda Zia as an uncompromising leader, Rumeen Farhana said, “I have lost my political guardian, whose ideals I followed, who inspired me, and whose principles I adhered to meticulously in my political life—she has departed today, Tuesday. Her passing has caused an irreparable loss to the country and to the party. She was admitted to hospital on 23 November. Before that, on 20 November, she spoke to me. She asked why I had not been given a nomination. I will say only this much.”
The newly expelled BNP leader further said, “My decision to contest as an independent candidate is itself a form of uncompromising resistance, standing alone against the tide. This is something I learned from my leader. Standing alone without compromise, I learned this from her.”
Earlier, on Monday, Rumeen Farhana submitted her nomination papers as an independent candidate from the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency (Sarail–Ashuganj and part of Bijoynagar).
She personally submitted the nomination papers to the upazila nirbahi officer and assistant returning officer of Sarail. After submitting her nomination, she told journalists, “Allah’s plans are beyond human understanding."
"In 1973, my father, language movement activist Oli Ahad, contested the election as an independent candidate against the tide of the Awami League," she added.
Rumeen Farhana also said, "Today, I am compelled to fight as an independent candidate against the tide of the Sheaf of Paddy.”
It may be noted that in the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency, widely regarded as a stronghold of the Sheaf of Paddy symbol, the BNP-led alliance has nominated a leader of its alliance partner, Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam, as the coalition candidate. He is contesting the election with the electoral symbol date palm.